Chapter 272 She Lied

Day Thirty…

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Kathleen was stunned for a moment when Jack suddenly grabbed her, embracing her tightly. She could sense that something was troubling him at this moment. She was also wondering why he had so many injuries. He looked untidy and his clothes were tainted with blood. She could even smell the iron scent of the fresh blood.

"What happened to you?" Kathleen asked him. She wanted to escape from his grasp because she felt awkward and uncomfortable with their closeness. However, Jack didn't let go of her.

"Please… just stay for a moment…" He pleaded. Jack didn't feel so well. He was quite shaken after knowing that there was a traitor from their comrades and Spade sacrificed himself just to protect him.

Spade was already sent to the operating room. He was blaming himself for what happened. Jack was afraid that Spade would not survive this. He bled so much and Jack thought he was hit in his vital area.

"Fine. Just ten more seconds…" Kathleen crunched her nose and mumbled. "You smell…" she paused.

When Jack heard that, he realized that he hadn't washed for two days now. The scent of his sweat and blood already mixed. Jack felt embarrassed so he pushed her away.

"I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to…" Jack was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say. He felt ashamed for facing Kathleen in his current state.

Jack was about to leave when Kathleen grabbed his elbow thus stopping him from taking another step. "Don't touch me… I haven't washed yet…"

Kathleen just shook her head and smiled at him. "I'm just teasing you. I didn't mean to offend you."

Jack just fell silent. He lowered his head, hiding his embarrassment. "I'm not offended. I just felt ashamed…"

Kathleen let out a soft giggle. Then she moved closer to Jack, raising her hand to pet his head. She gently patted his head thrice and said, "It's alright. No need to be ashamed of it. I've done worse than this. Remember how I puked when I got drunk… but you still took care of me… That was so gross… right?"

Jack raised his head to look at her. He blinked his eyes several times, staring at her with amusement. Kathleen was still smiling. Jack's heart skipped a beat and he was mesmerized by her charming smile. Her presence could somehow ease his burden.

Kathleen bit her lower lip and contemplated for a moment. She couldn't decide whether she should leave him now and proceed to the hospital lobby to wait for Nathan and Stephen. But after some careful consideration, Kathleen couldn't leave Jack in his unstable state.

She was worried that Jack would suddenly break down if she would leave him alone. To return the favor, Kathleen decided to accompany Jack and entertained him for a moment.

"Come with me!" Kathleen immediately pulled Jack. She led him to the room where Phantomflake stayed. The room was already empty since the two men already moved her out and used the other exit.

"Where are we going?" Jack asked her in puzzlement. He didn't complain. He just let her pull him.

Confusion resurfaced on his face when Kathleen brought him to an empty ward. It was already a coincidence that he met her once again in this country. Last time, he accidentally met her in Country F. Maybe they were fated to cross paths once more. They always met at their lowest moments.

"Here… you can use this. Go, wash and clean yourself. I'm going to buy you a new set of clothes." Kathleen opened the bathroom door for him.

Jack didn't move from his spot. He just shifted his gaze back and forth between Kathleen and the bathroom. He couldn't move well. The Syphiruz also fractured his right hand as punishment for shooting Abigail. He couldn't wash his body properly without help from anyone

"Hey. Can't you hear me? Don't just stand there. Get inside and take a bath." Kathleen gently pushed him towards the door.

She was about to leave when Jack spoke again. "I can't do this by myself. Can you please help me wash?" Since they were already there, Jack wanted to grab this opportunity to ask her. He wanted to clean himself and wash so that he wouldn't feel embarrassed looking so dirty in front of Kathleen.

"I injured my hands… I can't move…" Jack put on a pitiful face.

Kathleen just watched him in disbelief. 'Eh? Seriously. Is he asking me to bathe him? So shameless.'

"You can't move? Then why were you able to hug me so tightly?" Kathleen questioned him.

"I just endured the pain. Besides, I didn't feel the pain when I was hugging you. So please… can you help me wash?" Jack requested her.

Kathleen could only sigh in defeat. "Fine. What do you want me to do? I can only wash your head and upper body. Take care of your lower body." She scowled at him after saying that.

Jack finally chuckled because of Kathleen's reaction. "Okay. I will do that. Can you please assist me… take off my shirt…"

Kathleen just pursed her lips before reluctantly reaching for his clothes. She didn't know where to start.

'Should I just pull his shirt up? Or just pull it down?' Kathleen's eyes began to survey Jack's body.

"You can tear my shirt off… besides, you planned on buying a new set of clothes for me… right?" Jack was back to his usual self. He tried to look less gloomy in Kathleen's eyes.

If not for his pitiful look, Kathleen would have hit him so hard already. She knew that Jack's first sentence had a double meaning. In the end, she just ignored it and began undressing Jack. Since she didn't want him to get hurt, she followed his instruction of ripping his shirt off using scissors.

As she was doing it, Kathleen saw how bad his condition was. His body was covered with cuts and bruises. "Oh My?! Who did this to you?!" She didn't expect his injuries were severe.

"How can you still stand and walk with your body beaten up like this?" Kathleen covered her mouth using both hands, her eyes wide open.

Her gaze roamed around his body, still assessing his wounds. "Who did this to you? We should report this assault to the police!" Kathleen didn't hide her concern for Jack.

"Calm down, Miss Kath… This is just normal to a man like me. I fought someone and I ended up being defeated."

"Are you a superman? How can you still be alive having these cuts and bruises?! I will call the doctor after this." Kathleen grabbed a clean towel and soaked it with warm water. She also mixed and poured body gel into the water. She began wiping his body. Her hand was so gentle, making sure he wouldn't get hurt.

Jack could only watch Kathleen. This scene felt so heartwarming. It was so good to have someone taking care of you. Jack's eyes were following her every move. Kathleen was so immersed in what she was doing. She even forgot about Stephen because she was so focused on tending his wounds and cleaning his body.

"Sit down. Let me wash your hair." Kathleen made him sit down on the chair and brought the shower on top of his hair. She began washing his hair and applied shampoo. After twenty minutes, she was done cleaning and bathing him.

"Hmm… That's it. We are finally done. You look like a person now," Kathleen mumbled, teasing him as she giggled. Jack was very silent when she was washing his body a while ago. She could sense that Jack was thinking about someone.

"A penny for your thought," Kathleen softly asked him.

Jack raised his head and glanced at her. He had complicated emotions on his face. "I am worried about my friend. He got hurt because of me…"

Kathleen covered his head using a dry towel. She began rubbing his wet hair with a towel. "Cheer up. Your friend will be fine. But for now, you have to treat yourself."

"I have to go now. You can wash your lower body while I get you some clothes…" Kathleen hung the towel around his shoulders as she said goodbye.

"Will you come back?" Jack was worried that Kathleen would never return after this. He knew she had her own reason why she was in this hospital.

"Of course. I will. Just stay here. I will send the doctor who will check on you. Just continue washing."

Jack bobbed his head and said, "Thank you."

Kathleen just smiled at him. "No need to thank me. I'm just returning the favor."

She turned around to leave. Jack could only watch her back until she vanished from his sight. Jack waited for her to come back. However, an hour passed, and Kathleen never showed up again in that ward. He was disappointed when someone entered the ward but it wasn't Kathleen. It was the doctor whom she sent. The doctor also brought a paper bag containing his clothes.

"Doc… where is Miss Kath?" Jack asked the doctor expectantly.

"Something came up so she couldn't return. She sent me here to deliver this and check on you." The doctor put the paper bag in the space next to Jack.

Jack gazed at the paper bag and grabbed it tightly. His expression turned grim while clenching the paper bag with his left hand. 'She lied to me. She said… she would come back… but she didn't.' Jack became more upset because of Kathleen's disappearance.